Valve construction



' Jan. 26V, 1943. K, G, cALAwAY KEN/vim q. (ALA wm E* @MW ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 26, 1943 VALVE CONSTRUCTION Kenneth G. Calaway, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Akron Lamp & Manufacturing Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation oflOho Application May 16,1941, serial Naeesnzs (C1. vptr- 154) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improved valve constructions, and more especially it relates to improvements in the means employed for limiting the movement of the valve stem when the valve is adjusted to fully open position.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention depicted herein shows its application to a needle valve of a type employed in gasoline lanterns wherein the gasoline is vaporized, and burned with the use of a mantle to produce incandescence. To limit outward axial movement of the stem of the valve, said stem is provided with an enlarged collar consisting of a split ring, which collaris engageable with a stationary abutment for limiting movement of the stem in one direction. In prior constructions, the pressure of the split ring against theabutment structure has resulted in the deforming of the split ring or a spreading apart thereof so as to cause the ring to engage and sometimes to bind against the wall of the bore in the valve housing in which the ring moves. It is to the relief ofthis condition that this invention primarily is directed.

The chief object of the invention is to provide in an improved manner for limiting the axial movement of a valve stern of the character mentioned during the opening or unseating of the valve. More specifically the invention aims to provide abutment means for engaging the split ring on a valve stem in such a manner as not to exert a spreading or deforming effect on the ring. Other objects will be manifest as the description proceeds.

Of the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an axial section of a valve structure embodying the invention, the valve being shown in seated condition; and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail thereof,Y on a larger scale, showing the means that limit the valve stem movement in operative association.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a valve housing I that is threaded into an opening in the top of a reservoir II for liquid fuel I2, such as gasoline. The housing I0 is formed with an axial bore that is of different diameters at different longitudinal regions thereof. Thus, the discharge end of the bore, which is located at the left end thereof in Fig. 1, is of cylindrical shape and is designated I3. Rearwardly thereof is a region III of somewhat larger diameter, the juncture of said bores being tapered or frustoconical in shape so as to constitute a Valve seat I5. Rearwardly of region I4 is an internally threaded region IE, and rearwardly of the latter is a cylindrical region I1 of still larger diameter.

Rearwardly of region I'I is a region I8 that is of larger diameter than region I1 and extends to the end of the housing, the juncture of regions II and I8 vbeing tapered or frusto-conical in shape to provide a seat I9 for a packing jam presently to be described. The housing l!) also is formed with parallel bores 20, 2l that open into the region I4 of the axial bore, said bores extending through that portion of the housing that is threaded into reservoir II. Threaded into the outer end of bore is a fuel intake pipe 22 that extends downwardly into the fuel supply I2. Mounted in bore 2l is an automatically operating air valve 23. The arrangement is such that fuel from the reservoir Il is forced into region I4 of the axial bore of the valve, and air is forced into the same region of the valve bore at the proper time during the operation of the valve.

Mounted in the axial bore of the housing I .is a stern 24 that has a pointed inner end 25 that constitutes a valve for engaging the tapered valve seat l5 to close the passing between regions I3 and I4 of the axial bore of the structure, when the stem is moved axially toward said seat` I5. Behind the valve portion 25 of the stem is a cylindrical portion 26 of substantially smaller diameter than the bore region I4 in which it is positioned, so that fuel may pass through said region E4 on its way to the discharge end of the bore beyond valve seat I5. For moving the stem 24 axially in opposite directions, said stem is formed with -male screw threads 21 that are threaded into the internal threads I6 in the valve bore, and the outer end of thestem is provided with a knob 28 by which the stem is manually rotated to thread it toward valve-seating. position or to move it rearwardly therefrom to open the valve. Between the threads 2Iv and the knob 28 the stem is of cylindrical shape, and of somewhat smaller diameter than the region Il of the valve bore.

Where the stem 24 protrudes from the housing I0 a stuffing box is provided for the purpose of preventing the escape of liquid fuel along said stem. Said stufling box comprises a stufling nut 30 that is threaded onto the exterior of the housing, a gland or follower :il positioned about the stem 24 and disposed within region i8 of the axial bore of the structure, a packing element 32 within said bore region I3 and engaged by said gland, and a jam or bushing 33 also in said bore region IS, said bushing having one circumferential face that is tapered complemental to the tapered seat I9 in the valve bore. The arrangement is such that the nut 30 urges the gland 3| against the packing 32 and the latter urges the bushing 33 into sealing engagement with the seat. Thus, the bushing 33 prevents liquid fuel from passing the seat I9 and the packing 32 prevents the passage of the fuel along the stem 24. It will be understood that the bushing 33 and the gland 3| have a sliding fit on the stem 24.

For limiting axial movement of the stem 24 outwardly during the unseating of the valve 25 at the inner end thereof, said stem is formed with a circumferential groove 35 in the region thereof that'is disposed within region I1 of the valve bore, and mounted in said groove is a split ring 36. Said ring is composed of spring steel, and for convenience may be square in cross section. It may fit somewhat loosely in its groove, and its outside diameter is somewhat less than Athe diameter of bore region I1 so that it readily may. move axially therein. Furthermore, the outside diameter of the ring 36 is substantially greater than the diameter of that portion of the stem 24 on which it is mounted, said ring thus constituting, in effect, a circumferential flange or collar. The stem 24 moves to the right, as viewed in the drawing, during the unseating of the valve 25, the limit of such movement being reached when the ring 36 engages a stationary abutment, in this case the bushing 33. In order that the ring may not be expanded or otherwise deformed by reason of its engagement with the bushing 33, the lateral face of the latter that confronts said ring is formed with a recess 31 that is concentric with the axis The recess 31 is slightly greater in diameter than the outside diameter of the ring 36, and is somewhat deeper than the width of the ring, the arrangement being such that the ring is receivable within said recess, with but slight peripheral clearance. The bottom of the recess 31 is sloped or tapered as shown so that when the ring 36 reaches its limit of movement into said recess, an outer circumferential corner of the ring is in engagement with the oblique bottom surface of the recess. Thus, the force imposed-on the ring by reason of axial movement against the bottom of the recess has a radially inwardly directed component that tends to constrict the ring about the stem 24, and counteracts any Ytendency of the ring to expand. Furthermore,

any tilting of the ring, which might occur as the result of the force applied thereto, would be limited by reason of the close proximity of the peripheral wall of the recess 31, and since said recess is of smaller diameter than the :region I1 of the valve bore, it will be obvious that such tilting of the ring will not impair the ability of the ring to be moved freely within said region l1. The invention is of relatively simple construction and achieves the several advantages set forth in the foregoing statement of objects.

of the bushing.

Modification may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

W-hat is claimed is:

l. A valve construction comprising a stem movable axially in one direction to seat the valve and in the opposite direction to unseat it, a split ring mounted in a circumferential groove in theY stem and being of greater outside diameter than the stem, and a stationary abutment with which `only a local peripheral region of said ring is engageable when the stem is moved in the direction that unseats the valve, said abutment being so constructed and arranged that the force eX- erted on the ring by reason of its engagement with the abutment has a radially inwardly directed component that tends to constrict the r1ng.

2. A valve construction comprising a stem movable axially in opposite directions to seat and to unseat the'valve, a split ring of rectangular cross section mounted in a circumferential groove in the stem and being of greater outside diameter than the latter, and a stationary abutment with which said ring is engagable to limit the valve-unseating movement of the stem, said abutment comprising a sloping surface that ex` tends outwardly beyond the periphery of the ring and makes contact solely with one of the peripheral corners thereof. 3.- A valve construction comprising a stem movable axially in opposite directions to seat and to unseat the valve, a split ring of rectangular cross section mounted in a circumferential groove in the stem and being of greater outside diameter than the latter, and a stationary abutment with which said ring is engageable to limit the valve-unseating movement of the stem, said abutment comprising an annular recess disposed concentrically of the axis of the ring and of greater diameter than the latter, said recess formed with a sloping bottom disposed obliquely with relation to the direction of movement of the ring, and so disposed as to be engagedy solely by one of the peripheral corners of the ring.

v4. A valve construction comprising a stem movable axially in opposite directions to seat and to unseat the valve, a split ring of rectangular section mounted in a circumferential groove in the stem and being of greater outside diameter than the latter, and a stationary abutment with which said ring is engageable to limit the valve-unseating movement of the stem, said abutment comprising a recess of slightly larger diameter than the ring into which the ring is movable to the full extent of its thickness, the bottom of said recess having a tapered surface that ,is engaged solely by a peripheral corner of the ring. l

Y v KENNETH G. CALAWAY. 

